Ways to get supervisor attention?

[rkln03]

I work at an inbound call center and I've been asked to research some ways to get the on floor supervisor's attention that you need them. We are all in cubicles, there are about 70 cubicles. We have tried several different things when getting the supervisor's attention that we need their help on a call we're on.

We have used the large feather dusters and held them up at our cubicle to notify a supervisor we need them, but that does not work well because sometimes it may take 5-10 minutes before a supervisor can look up and see you need the help, so that leaves the agent holding the feather duster up in the air for that amount of time.

Currently, we are use the "dog calling" clickers that make a clicking noise when you push them and standing up to get a supervisors attention. This works, however, its not very professional.

Does anyone have any suggestions on a way we can get a more professional, maybe electronic way of getting the supervisor's attention? We were thinking of a system similar to what banks use where they let the customer in line know which teller window to go to, but I dont know if those systems are available for as many cubicles (teller windows at a bank) that we would need.

What methods do call centers use for agents to get the attention of a supervisor? We were also thinking about wiring in a light and would flip a switch at our desk to let them know we need help, but our cubicles are back to back, so it would be difficult to tell which cubicle needed the help.

Any advice would be much appreciated.
Thank you.
Steven

[Chr1s]

Hello Steven,

does "cubicles" mean that your agent's workstations are boxed in by noise-absorbing walls?
If so that's the problem to be solved. Obviously they are too high and block the view.
We have an outbound call-center which has no walls at all. The reason for that is that we wanted our supervisors to be able to "supervise" the whole room and to be able to see wheter there is a problem or not.
The problem of noise was solved by a noise-absorbing cover on the walls and on the ceiling. You's have to determine if such a cover would cost more or less than a software-solution which also can be very expensive.
Another problem in your cc yould be that the supervisors generally dont pay enough attention and maybe have a motivations problem. Or maybe they just don't know that their main job is to help the agents.

Hope I could help,

Chris

[rkln03]

Chris,
Thanks for replying. When I said "cubicles" I just went partitions more than anything. We have those felt walls that are about 4 feet high around each cubicle. If you've ever seen the movie Office Space, that is identical to how our call center is set up.

[NBosch]

Hi Steven,

Getting the supervisors attention, can be done in many ways. I see that you are looking for a manner that does not harm your results, and would therefor advice the following.

1. Netsend
In a Windows environment, there is a DOS option, called Netsend. With this option, one user can send another user a pop up, that alerts him/her.
Negative side effect: software supporting agents in my cc have in the past written some batches that would crash the receivers system.

2. Aspect
On the Aspect system, you can program the supervisor button to allert someone.

3. Overview
I have placed my supervisors on strategic points on the floor. A small sign from any of the agents will allert them.
In other cc's I have seen the supervisors sitting a bit higher, to increase their overview of the floor.

In my cc, I am now using the Netsend option. My IT team wrote a small program, that agents use, and that measures reaction time from the supervisor and the negative side effect I described is overcome. This works pretty good for us.
I also have the benefit of solely working with wireless headsets, which allows my agents, to continue conversation, while going to the supervisor themselves, without harming their results.

I hope to have been of help.

[rkln03]

Thanks for your help, unfortunately we need a tool to use that the supervisors can see on the wall or something because during the winter months, they are not at their computers very much so the netsend feature would not help. Most of the time during the winter, the supervisors are running like chickens with their head cut off going from one cubicle to the other on all different sides of the room helping all of the agents with their issues. Having like an agent assigned to a number and a bingo board that could light up a number of an agent who needs help is ideally what we're looking for, if there is such a thing in a call center. Or any other suggestive ideas would help

Thank you
Steven

[NBosch]

Hi Steven,

I think we are now at the real problem, and I quote:

the supervisors are running like chickens with their head cut off going from one cubicle to the other on all different sides of the room helping all of the agents with their issues.

I had the same problem over here, so I did some research into the reasons and got the following feedback:

1. Processes are not clear
2. CSR's have not enough decisive rights
3. Training of CSR's

Instead of investing in technology that helps you manage the problem, I would advice to solve the problem itself. Rewrite your processes, give your CSR's more decisive rights and check the training your agents receive when starting the job.

I would also take a closer look at the nature of the questions, and re-evaluate if your supervisors are the best persons to answer them.
In my call center, all of my supervisors have deputies ( for questions concerning processes ) and tech.agents ( for technical queries ) assigned to them. These 2 agents per team ( 6 teams ) have slightly lower targets concerning workduration and total calls handled, but because of this approach, are ready for promotion when one of my supervisors leaves the organisation.

Feel free to mail me for more info at : niek.bosch@medion.com

[Chr1s]

Hello Steven,

I'm slightly confused. Why do your Supervisors work in a different way when it's winter?

Chris

[NBosch]

Chris,

This is not that uncommon.

Reasons could be:
- Call volume ( technical helpdesk is busier in the winter period )
- Staff turnover ( more rookies during certain periods)
- Sales action sensitivity

Etc.etc.

That is why I think that to really solve the problem, you have to look more specific at the cause, instaed of at the symptoms.

Niek

[Chr1s]

That's a point. But also a symptom for a bad staffing.
From what I read between the lines so far the supervisors in Steven's CC seem to be

a.) totally swamped with a agent having a problem or

b.) simply not trained very well.

Another problem of course could be that there are too few of them according to the size of the CC.
If the difference between summer and winter is so extreme that the supervisors run around like beheaded chickens then all of the reasons you mentioned must come together. And then the supervisors aren't the problem. In this case the problem ist to be sought at a higher level.

Chris

[NBosch]

Hi Chris,

I noticed the same as you did. But I also read that this is a 70 seat call centre, which is in case a " small " one ( no offense, mine is only a 82 seater ). This means, that Steven will lack a certain amount of flexibility that larger centres have.

I share your vision, that the problems are on a higher level, and think that the first thing that I would do, is make an inventory of the questions that are asked.

Niek

[Chr1s]

A good suggestion, Niek.

Steve, why don't you just collect agent's questions over the next few days and then maybe post the most common ones in this thread?
Maybe we can help.

Chris

[rkln03]

My call center is busier in the winter because its a propane company's call center and people use more propane in the winter than they do in the summer because of colder temperatures in the winter.

The questions the CSR's have on someone's account vary from account to account, and in some cases we need supervisor approval before we "bend the rules" or do something that is against policy to help a customer get a propane delivery when its -12 degrees outside whether it be a billing issue or an issue pertaining to a policy that is against the customer's account. Some customers cant receive a delivery on the weekends or after hours if there account is coded in such way, and the supervisor might be able to look into it closer than we can and get that customer a delivery. Sometimes we ask for supervisor's because customers wish to speak to them because they aren't happy with the CSR's answer to their situation.

This is a national call center for the propane company and when a local office who handles the customers account closes for the day, we get their calls. All offices are open Monday-Friday 8am-5pm. So we get 100% of the calls after 5pm and all weekend. When the offices have meetings, we get all their calls, across the country.

The only reason I said they walk around like chickens with their heads cut off was to stress the fact that they do not sit in front of their computer for 8 hours where they could monitor netsend messages. They need to have someone on the wall so they could see from one's cubicle where they need to go next. Even a simple light bulb on a pole that sticks up 2 feet above the cubicle partition wall at every cubicle and when one needs supervisor help, to turn the light bulb on and the supervisor will come.

[Chr1s]

Hello Steve,

now I understand. I didn't expect you depending so much on winter time.
It still sounds as if a few more supervisors would also help to lower your problem.
But I also understand that the supervisors need an opportunity to "serve" the agents one after another.
Using a netsend-solution (no offense, Niek) could result in supervisors sitting in front of their Terminals and not looking up anymore at all.
I like your proposal with the light bulbs. But with this solution you still would have the problem of priorities. Which agent's problem occured first?
Whats the intensity of those prolems. I mean: do they occur one after another or are there suddenly a lot of problems simultaneously?

[rkln03]

Well, the problems occur all the time during the winter. Our phones ring non stop probably 18 hours a day without a break of calls. We have between 20-40 people in queue that need their call answered and probably 5-10 calls would need a supervisor's help whether it be that the customer wants to yell at the supervisor or the CSR need individual help regarding the customer's account. There are only 4 supervisors in the call center, in the winter all 4 pretty much are there at the same time, but there are still 60 agents working on the phones and only 4 supervisors to help all 60.

Hiring more supervisors would help the situation, but the company doesnt have the budget for that. We are looking for a cost effective way to provide better service to the CSRs with the only 4 supervisors we have.

[ctaylor]

Steven,
There have been a number of good ideas put forward already so I won't reinvent the wheel.

Another solution you may want to look at is rather than having the Supervisors running all over the center, send the calls to an internal Help Desk, that will only deal with these escalated calls.
This will provide faster service with no running around and can also consolidate and categorize the escalated issues more easily for training and caoching enhancements. Also by tracking the orginating agent location you will gain another measure that will indicate who is having problems with what issues.

This is also much mor humane that my other idea which ivoleved a small electric shock delivered to a different part of the body depending on which agent needed assistance ( Of course I am kidding).

I hope that I have added some value to this discussion. If I can be of further assistance plase contact me directly at ctaylor@thetaylorreachgroup.com

Colin